Separable slide fastener

ABSTRACT

A separable slide fastener including a slider movable to control opening and closing of the slide fastener having a movable locking prong extending within a Y-shaped channel therein at a position laterally spaced from the longitudinal center of the slider, and a separating end stop including an insert member adapted to be received in a retainer member which has a detent notch therein for receiving the locking prong when the slider is moved to an assembly position adjacent the separating end stop such that the slider is held in the assembly position to facilitate assembly of the insert member with the retainer member through the slider.

United States Patent [191 Runnels [451 Jan. 7, 1975 SEPARABLE SLIDE FASTENER [75] Inventor: George W. Runnels, Meadville, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Textron Inc., Providence, RI.

[22] Filed: July 26, 1973 {21] Appl. No.: 382,985

[52] U.S. C1. .1 24/205.1l R, 24/205.14 R [51] Int. Cl. A44b 19/36, A44b 19/30 [58] Field of Search 24/205.1l, 205.14

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,154,099 4/1939 Marinsky 24/205.ll 2,157,381 5/1939 Carlile 24/205.1l 2,267,384 12/1941 Waldes 24/205.l1 2,273,773 2/1942 Poux 24/205.14 R 2,784,474 3/1957 Morin 24/205.14 3,583,041 6/1971 Horwitt 24/205.ll

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Belgium 24/205.14 R

Germany 24/205.ll R Great Britain 24/205.11 R

Primary Examiner-Bernard A. Gelak [57] ABSTRACT A separable slide fastener including a slider movable to control opening and closing of the slide fastener having a movable locking prong extending within a Y- shaped channel therein at a position laterally spaced from the longitudinal center of the slider, and a separating end stop including an insert member adapted to be received in a retainer member which has a detent notch therein for receiving the locking prong when the slider is moved to an assembly position adjacent the separating end stop such that the slider is held in the assembly position to facilitate assembly of the insert member with the retainer member through the slider.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures SEPARABLE SLIDE FASTENER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention pertains to slide fasteners and, more particularly, to a separable slide fastener having a separating end stop cooperating with a slider to permit separation of the stringers of the slide fastener.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art Separable slide fasteners, that is, slide fasteners having the stringers thereof connected by a separating end stop, are conventionally used in garments and other articles where it is desired that portions held together by the slide fastener be completely separated from one another. End stops for such separable slide fasteners conventionally include a tube securedto a retainer to capture the slider along one of the stringers and a pin carried onthe other stringer and insertable through the channel in the slider to be received in the retainer and permit the slider to be moved along interengaging elements to close the slide fastener. Thus, in order to operate such slide fasteners, the slider must be moved to an assembly position at the end stop with the end of the slider abutting the retainer such that the retainer and the slider can properly receive the pin.

Such separable slide fasteners have, in the past, presented a problem for children and persons having undeveloped or poor muscular coordination due to the precise positioning required of the slider prior to insertion of the pin, the difficulty in properly positioning the slider being further increased due to the propensity of the slider to move along the interengaging elements away from the end stop while the stringers are separated. The prior art, as exemplified by US. Pat. Nos. 2,123,512 and 2,123,513 to Marinsky, and US. Pat. No. 2,892,231 to Ulrich et al, is cognizant of attempts to anchor or otherwise maintain the sliders of separable slide fasteners at the assembly position. Such attempts have had the disadvantages, however, of requiring significant additional structure thereby increasing manufacturing costs as well as increasing possible structural defects in the finished slide fastener.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION and, a separating end stop including an insert member secured to one of the tapes and a retainer member secured to the other of the tapes, the retainer member having a detent notch therein for receiving the locking prong when the slider is moved to an assembly position adjacent the separating end stop whereby the slider is held in the assembly position adjacent the separating end stop to facilitate assembly of the insert member with the retainer member through the slider.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art by forming a detent notch on a retainer member of a separating end stop of a separable slide fastener to hold a slider in an assembly position adjacent the end stop to facilitate joining of the stringers of the slide fastener.

Another object of the present invention is to simplify the assembly of a separable slide fastener in order to facilitate the use thereof by children and persons with undeveloped or poor muscular coordination.

The present invention has an additional object in that a slider is maintained in close association with a retainer of a separable slide fastener to facilitate insertion of a pin in the retainer and subsequent movement of the slider to close the slide fastener.

Yet another object ofthe present invention is to provide a detent notch in a retainer member of a separating end stop of a separable slide fastener such that a locking prong of the slider, when in assembly position, engages the detent notch to assure that the slider is maintained in the assembly position to facilitate assembly of the slide fastener.

An additional object of the present invention is to utilize a locking prong, normally provided for preventing inadvertent movement of a slider by engagement with interengaging elements of a slide fastener, to maintain the slider in an assembly position at an end stop by providing a detent notch at the end stop to engage the locking prong.

Some of the advantages of the present invention over the prior art are that the slider can be maintained in the assembly position by cooperation of the locking prong with the detent notch without requiring additional components, the locking prong is utilized to prevent inadvertent movement of the slider along the assembled slide fastener as well as to anchor the slider in the assembly position at the end stop when the slide fastener is separated, the slide fastener can be easily assembled, and manufacturing costs of the slide fastener are kept at a minimum.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a broken perspective of a separable slide fastener according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the slider of the slide fastener of FIG. I.

FIG. 3 is a broken side elevation of the slide fastener of FIG. 1 with the slide fastener separated and the slider at the assembly position.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the slide fastener of FIG. 1 during assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A separable slide fastener 10 according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG. I and includes a pair of stringers formed of tapes l2 and 14 carrying interengaging elements 16 on cords 18 along the inner edges of the tapes. A slider 20 is movable along the interengaging elements to control opening and closing of the slide fastener 10, and a separating end stop 22 is formed at the bottom of the slide fastener 10 and includes a retainer member 24 secured to tape 12 and an insert pin member 26 secured to tape 14. Retainer member 24 includes an elongate tube 28 mounted on the cord I8 and attached to a cup-shaped retainer 30 3 having a cavity 32 therein adapted to receive the slightly curved elongate pin 26 secured to the cord 18 on tape 14. The pin 26 has a lip 33 extending therefrom in order to align the pin with tube 28 when the stringers are assembled, and a detent notch 34 is formed on tube 28 spaced from the end of retainer 30 and aligned with the cord 18 and the interengaging elements 16. The detent notch 34 is shown as an aperture in the tube 28; however, the detent notch can have any suitable structure providing a multi-level configuration to engage a locking prong of slider 20, as will be described hereinafter.

The slider 20, as best illustrated in FIG. 2, includes a body 35 formed of a pair of flanged wings 36 and 38 supported by a diamond 40 to define a Y-shaped channel through the slider, the stem of the channel being disposed at a rear end 42 of the body and the diverging portions of the channel being disposed at a front end 44 of the slider on either side of the diamond 40. The wing 36 carries a superstructure formed of a pair of wedgeshaped blocks 46 and 48 having inclined surfaces 50 and 52, respectively, facing each other, and a housing 54 having notches 56 formed in the side walls thereof is adapted to fit over the blocks 46 and 48, the notches 56 being configured to receive an end 58 of a pull 60 and being aligned with the lower portions of the inclined surfaces 50 and 52 such that the end 58 of the pull 60 can be freely held between the inclined surfaces and the side walls of the housing 54 or movable along either inclined surface to abut the sidewalls of the housing 54. The block 46 has circular recesses 62 formed on either side thereof, and the housing 54 has dimples 64 adapted to be received in the recesses 62 to pivotally mount the housing 54 on the wing 36 of the body of the slider. The bottom surface of housing 54 is inclined at 66 awayfrom the top surface of wing 36 to permit the housing to rock or pivot clockwise looking at FIG. 2 against the force of a coiled spring 68 mounted in compression between the wing 36 and a front portion of the housing 54. A pair of tangs 70 and 72 depend from the side walls of housing 54 at the rear end thereof aligned with and received in slots 74 and 76 in the wing 36, the tangs 70 and 72 being laterally spaced from the longitudinal center of the slider 20. The tang 70 extends beyond the wing 36 into the stem of the Y-shaped channel through the body of the slider to form a locking prong 78 disposed at a position laterally spaced from the longitudinal center of the slider in alignment with the cord 18 on tape 12 to contact the interengaging elements 16 carried thereby.

The operation of the separable slide fastener will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 wherein the slide fastener is illustrated in the assembled condition, the separated condition and the condition during assembly, respectively. As is conventional, the slide fastener 10 can be closed and opened by moving the slider up and down along the interengaging elements looking at FIG. 1, movement of the slider being permitted by the force applied to pull 60 rocking the housing 54 against the force from bias spring 68 to move the locking prong 78 out of the Y-shaped channel through the slider and, therefore, prevent engagement of the locking prong 78 with the interengaging elements. The end 58 of the pull 60 will ride along the inclined surfaces 50 or 52 of the blocks 46 and 48 to pivot the housing 54 against the force from spring 68; and, with the slider in any position, if the pull 60 is released, the spring 68 will bias the housing to a position to move the locking prong 78 into the stem of the Y- shaped channel to engage the interengaging elements 16 and prevent inadvertent movement of the slider 20.

In order to disassemble or separate the stringers of the slide fastener, the slider 20' is moved along the slide fastener until its rear end 42 abuts the end of retainer 30. With the slider in this position, referred to as the assembly position, the detent notch 34 in the tube 28 will be aligned with the locking prong 78 such that upon rcleasing the pull 60, the locking prong 78 will be received in the detent notch to prevent movement of the slider 20. The pin 26 can easily be removed from the retainer with the slider in the assembly position such that the stringers of the slide fastener are separated, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

When it is desired to assemble the slide fastener again, the pin 26 need only be inserted through the Y- shaped channel in the slider 20 and into the cavity 32 in the retainer 30, as shown in FIG. 4, since the slider 20 will be held in the assembly position due to the cooperation of the locking prong 78 with the detent notch 34. That is, during separation of the slide fastener 10, the slider 20 will not be free to move along the slide fastener due to the engagementofthe locking prong 78 with the detent notch 34; and. thus, the slider will be maintained in proper position for assembly of the slide fastener at any time thereby facilitating such assembly by children or persons having undeveloped or poor muscular coordination. Once the pin 26 has been properly inserted into the retainer 30, the slide fastener 10 can be closed simply by grasping the pull 60 to cause the end 58 to contact the housing 54 and move the locking prong 78 out of the detent notch 34 to permit the slider 20 to be moved.

Inasmuch as the present invention is subject to many variations, modifications and changes in detail, it is intended that all matter described above or shown in the accompanying'drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. A separable slide fastener comprising a pair of tapes carrying interengaging elements along inner edges thereof; I

a slider movable along interengaging elements to control opening and closing of said slide fastener and including a body formed of a pair of flanged wings defining a Y-shaped channel for guiding said interengaging elements through said slider, one of said wings having a slot formed therein laterally spaced from the longitudinal center of said slider, 21 housing pivotally mounted on said one wing and having a tang depending therefrom and aligned with said slot to be received therein to define a movable locking prong extending within said channel at a position laterally spaced from the longitudinal center of said slider, and a pull having an end engaging said housing to pivot said housing and move said locking prong out of said channel when force is applied to said pull;

separating end stop means including an insert member secured to one of said tapes, and a retainer member secured to the other of said tapes, said retainer member having a detent notch therein for receiving said locking prong when said slider is moved to an assembly position adjacent said separating end stop means whereby said slider is held in said assembly position to facilitate assembly of said insert member with said retainer member through said slider;

said slider including spring means engaging said housing to move said tang into said slot to bias said locking prong into said channel, said pull being operable to pivot said housing against said spring means to move said locking prong out of said channel; and

said slider including a pair of spaced block means on the front of said one wing having oppositely disposed inclined surfaces, said housing including a pair of side walls having notches therein aligned with said inclined surfaces, and said end of said pull extending through said notches to be movable along said inclined surfaces to abut said side walls and pivot said housing when force is applied to said pull 2. A slide fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein said retainer member includes an elongate tube and a retainer secured to said elongate tube, said detent notch being defined by an aperture formed in said elongate tube.

3. A slide fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein said other tape has a cord along the inner edge thereof, said interengaging elements and said elongate tube being mounted on said cord and said locking prong of said slider being positioned in alignment with said cord.

4. A slide fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein one of said pair of spaced block means includes means for pivotally mounting said housing.

5. A separable slide fastener comprising a pair of tapes carrying interengaging elements along inner edges thereof;

a slider movable along said interengaging elements to control opening and closing of said slide fastener and including a body formed of a pair of flanged wings defining a Y-shaped channel for guiding said interengaging elements through said slider; one of said wings having a slot formed therein laterally spaced from the longitudinal center of said slider, a housing pivotally mounted on said one wing and having a tang depending therefrom and aligned with said slot to be received therein to define a movable locking prong extending within said channel at a position laterally spaced from the longitudinal center of said slider; a pull having an end engaging said housing to pivot said housing and move said locking prong out of said channel when force is applied to said pull;

separating end stop means including an insert member secured to one of said tapes, and a retainer member secured to the other of said tapes, said retainer member having a detent notch therein for receiving said locking prong when said slider is moved to an assembly position adjacent said separating end stop means whereby said slider is held in said assembly position to facilitate assembly of said insert member with said retainer member through said slider;

said retainer member including an elongate tube and a retainer secured to said elongate tube, said detent notch being defined by an aperture formed in said elongate tube;

said other tape having a cord along the inner edge thereof, said interengaging elements and said elon gate tube being mounted on said cord and said locking prong of said slider being positioned in alignment with said cord; and

said slider including spring means engaging said housing to move said tang into said slot to bias said locking prong into said channel, said pull being operable to pivot said housing against said spring means to move said locking prong out of said channel.

6. A slide fastener as recited in claim 5 wherein said slider includes a pair of spaced block means on the front of said one wing having oppositely disposed inclined surfaces, said housing has a pair of side walls having notches therein aligned with said inclined surfaces and said end of said pull extends through said notches to be movable along said inclined surfaces to abut said side walls and pivot said housing when force is applied to said pull. 

1. A separable slide fastener comprising a pair of tapes carrying interengaging elements along inner edges thereof; a slider movable along interengaging elements to control opening and closing of said slide fastener and including a body formed of a pair of flanged wings defining a Y-shaped channel for guiding said interengaging elements through said slider, one of said wings having a slot formed therein laterally spaced from the longitudinal center of said slider, a housing pivotally mounted on said one wing and having a tang depending therefrom and aligned with said slot to be received therein to define a movable locking prong extending within said channel at a position laterally spaced from the longitudinal center of said slider, and a pull having an end engaging said housing to pivot said housing and move said locking prong out of said channel when force is applied to said pull; separating end stop means including an insert member secured to one of said tapes, and a retainer member secured to the other of said tapes, said retainer member having a detent notch therein for receiving said locking prong when said slider is moved to an assembly position adjacent said separating end stop means whereby said slider is held in said assembly position to facilitate assembly of said insert member with said retainer member through said slider; said slider including spring means engaging said housing to move said tang into said slot to bias said locking prong into said channel, said pull being operable to pivot said housing against said spring means to move said locking prong out of said channel; and said slider including a pair of spaced block means on the front of said one wing having oppositely disposed inclined surfaces, said housing including a pair of side walls having notches therein aligned with said inclined surfaces, and said end of said pull extending through said notches to be movable along said inclined surfaces to abut said side walls and pivot said housing when force is applied to said pull.
 2. A slide fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein said retainer member includes an elongate tube and a retainer secured to said elongate tube, said detent notch being defined by an aperture formed in said elongate tube.
 3. A slide fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein said other tape has a cord along the inner edge thereof, said interengaging elements and said elongate tube being mounted on said cord and said locking prong of said slider beiNg positioned in alignment with said cord.
 4. A slide fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein one of said pair of spaced block means includes means for pivotally mounting said housing.
 5. A separable slide fastener comprising a pair of tapes carrying interengaging elements along inner edges thereof; a slider movable along said interengaging elements to control opening and closing of said slide fastener and including a body formed of a pair of flanged wings defining a Y-shaped channel for guiding said interengaging elements through said slider; one of said wings having a slot formed therein laterally spaced from the longitudinal center of said slider, a housing pivotally mounted on said one wing and having a tang depending therefrom and aligned with said slot to be received therein to define a movable locking prong extending within said channel at a position laterally spaced from the longitudinal center of said slider; a pull having an end engaging said housing to pivot said housing and move said locking prong out of said channel when force is applied to said pull; separating end stop means including an insert member secured to one of said tapes, and a retainer member secured to the other of said tapes, said retainer member having a detent notch therein for receiving said locking prong when said slider is moved to an assembly position adjacent said separating end stop means whereby said slider is held in said assembly position to facilitate assembly of said insert member with said retainer member through said slider; said retainer member including an elongate tube and a retainer secured to said elongate tube, said detent notch being defined by an aperture formed in said elongate tube; said other tape having a cord along the inner edge thereof, said interengaging elements and said elongate tube being mounted on said cord and said locking prong of said slider being positioned in alignment with said cord; and said slider including spring means engaging said housing to move said tang into said slot to bias said locking prong into said channel, said pull being operable to pivot said housing against said spring means to move said locking prong out of said channel.
 6. A slide fastener as recited in claim 5 wherein said slider includes a pair of spaced block means on the front of said one wing having oppositely disposed inclined surfaces, said housing has a pair of side walls having notches therein aligned with said inclined surfaces and said end of said pull extends through said notches to be movable along said inclined surfaces to abut said side walls and pivot said housing when force is applied to said pull. 